Should I get a puck or a ball?

[hapamatt122 0]

Im play on ice but I really want to be able to practice at home instead of only at the rink. I have a cheapo puck that is filled with sand but it only glides ok in my garage because its smooth, as soon as I take it onto the street it just catches its edge and is impossible to puckhandle with. so I was looking around and I was wondering if I should get one of those IDS-pro shot pucks, or perhaps the Smart hockey ball. I want to be able to skate around on my roller blades and practice but it will be in my driveway and street. I don't know if those pucks are only good for the roller rink, or if they are ok for street use.. or should I stick with the ball? any help would be appreciated as I don't have much experience with roller hockey. when I'm just standing around and puckhandling, my cheap sandfilled puck seems ok, its just when I strap on the skates and move with any sort of speed, thats when the puck catches its edge. thanks!

[shute 4]

get the smart hockey ball...

[suppaman 0]

agree, similar situation (except during the summer my buddies and i play actual games)

go with a ball

[captainnifty 0]

The Sun Hockey Zero ball is nice, but it'll make you pick up higher when you stick handle. When I started using it, everytime I'd try to deke, I'd end up throwing it way off in the opposite direction...

The Millenium ProPuck is a neat puck if you feel like shelling out 6 or 8 bucks on it from places like here.

If you can find places that carry it, the Mylec street puck, or practice puck glides pretty nice on rough surfaces in my opinion.

The IDS puck is great if you're gonna stay in the garage. We play with it when we're on smooth outdoor courts, but the pegs don't last long and it's just about pointless to try to replace the pegs as opposed to buying a new puck.

[Edwards38 0]

The answer is simple, go to the shop put the puck and ball options on the floor and flick each one. Buy the one which moves the furthest. Let me know what you find.

[HeatleyRules 0]

The answer is simple, go to the shop put the puck and ball options on the floor and flick each one. Buy the one which moves the furthest. Let me know what you find.

considering a ball rolls i'd say it'd go much further... and his problem is that he wants to find something that he can use on tough pavement or ashpalt. i'd say for stickhandling go with the smart hockey ball, and for shooting a nice hard orange street hockey ball.

[hapamatt122 0]

Thanks, I'll go pick one up after work.. I've seen ones in a bin at my LHS, and I've also seen the ones on line that come with a dvd or something. is it worth it to fork over extra cash for the dvd combo?

[Dante2004 0]

Are you trying to LEARN how to stick handle, or just continue to practice? If you are learning, the DVD might be helpful. Then again, even if you THINK you know how to stickhandle the DVD might be helpful. You might be amazed at the little tips you could pick up that would improve your game. Maybe you are doing something wrong and don't even know it. Maybe there is an easier way to do what you already know how to do...etc. I bought a DVD series that covered stickhandling and I was amazed at how it changed my game. No, this isn't a plug...I didn't mention the title. It was just the little things that no one (coach) ever bothered to tell me when I was a kid. Then after years of practice, were just part of my game. It won't turn you into a superstar overnight...but you get my point.

If you intend to transfer these skills to ice hockey, I would do whatever you can to use a puck as often as possible. I understand your "rough road" delima, so in this situation you would probably have to use the ball. But you will start to cheat with the ball and not even realize it. If you are trying to learn out to lift the puck, flip it, toe drag, backhand, etc. So for the garage, I say puck all the way (assuming you can get one to slide nicely).

[oldtimer72 0]

Hey Dante, what is the title of the stickhandling DVD?

[KYHockey3 0]

smart hockey ball!!

they are great outdoors.

[Dante2004 0]

I purchased Sean Skinner's Stick Handling Beyond Belief. Kind of pricey ($95), but I think it was worth it. There are probably others out there that are just as good. I actually bought it for my team, so I wrote it off as a team expense. :D Like I said, you still have to put in the time, but it did help me (and my players). It wasn't one drill that made me "see the light", or anything like that. I would just watch a few segments of the video before my next game. Then for a few minutes before the game I would try a few new skills on the floor. Eventually, they worked their way into my game. Perfect example: I am a big guy (6'3" 230 lbs) and I am not exactly lightning fast on my skates. So I never even considered doing a "spin-o-rama" move on someone. I always thought that is was a flashy move for the showboats...which it might be. But in the video they presented that move in a practical light. The went through the steps of how you are protecting the puck with your body as you essentially roll off of the defender. It allowed me to see the move from a different perspective. Now...I use this move in games at full speed. Works like a charm. Not to show off, just to beat a d-man.

I cannot stress this enough though...I am not trying to imply that a video will give you the skills. You still need to develop those on your own with lots of practice. But the videos give you another look into the skills you may already know. Or just give you a fresh look at something (like in my case) that you have seen a thousand times and have simply dismissed.

Hockey is a mental game and sometimes presenting material from a different viewpoint is enough of a boost to get you over a small rut in your development process.

[Gongshow11 1]

The answer is simple, go to the shop put the puck and ball options on the floor and flick each one. Buy the one which moves the furthest. Let me know what you find.

are you f-ing serious? try this. buy a ball and a square, or a triangle, see which one goes firther. or wait, drop a pound of feathers and a one pound brick, which one falls faster

[shnuggs 0]

smart hockey ball!!

they are great outdoors.

Figured i would post here as you guys proably can answer the question better.

I have recently been practicing off the ice with a smart hockey ball. I have been using an old ops and i dont want to damage the blade on my new one. Should i be worried ? Will it do any damage to the blade?

[gavin 0]

What surface are you stickhandling on? The ball itself won't hurt a OPS.

[HotBacon 0]

If you have an old whiffle ball and tennis ball sitting around I have a cheap solution, but you'll still be plagued w/ the puck vs. ball differences:

Cut the tennis ball in half w/ a utility knife. Cut those 2 pieces in half. Then cut those 4 pieces in half. You'll now have 8 slices of a tennis ball. Stuff each piece into the holes of the whiffle ball. You'll now have a no (or very low) bounce, durable ball that slides great on any surface, and is approximately the same weight as a puck. For the price, it's the best stickhandling ball I've seen yet.

[stevoc 0]

I just use both a ball and a puck for outdoor use.